The s.s. Arawa on Fire.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 400, 7 January 1890, Page 3

The s.s. Arawa on Fire.

A NARROW ESCAPE. (nou oca own caaazsroxwxT.) Wellington, last night. . Shortly after one o'clock yesterday morning ■ fire was discovered aboard the steamer Arawa Wading at the Queen's Wharf. The engineer fin ths watch saw the flames issuing from the grating at the foot of the storeroom, situated between the engineroom and atoke hole, The ship's crew ware called, and set to work pumping on the fire at once. The fire however appeared to be gaining rapidly. The flames spread to a room containing the Steering gear, and the glare could also be seen at the mouth of the ventilators on the upper deck. The crew worked splendidly, and aided by a plentiful sepply of water,-succeeded in confining the fire to the room where it broke fiat, Almoat the whole tot the woodwork in the storeroom was burnt or charred, and shows that for a lime there must have been a aonaiderable body of fire there. The damage however, is not very large, nor likely to delay tbs vessel's departure on Thursday nezt, Captain Stuart, who was on the deck immediately the alarm sounded, pays a high tribute to the crew for the speedy manner in which they got the fire under, Abutting on the storeroom, and almost alongside where the fire appears to have raged most fiercely Were two large tanks containing oil (used in the engine ropm) sn d Captain Stuart was anxious test they might explode. Had they ezploded nothing could have saved the ship. The local brigade and wharf watchmen ware quickly on the spot, but the fire was extinguished by the grew without their assistance. Nothing is known as to the origin of the fire. A quantity fit waste and indiarubber packing in the store room-> as deetioyed, but the loss is not large. No ini jiy was done to the engines, nor did the volume of wafer poured into the veaael do any damage.